Enslaved – Utgard – Album Review

Artist: Enslaved

Album Title: Utgard

Label: Nuclear Blast

Date of Release: September 2020

My unexpected review hiatus may have meant that I missed the release date but nevertheless I am compelled to focus today, on the new, eagerly-anticipated record from Enslaved, entitled ‘Utgard’. At it’s most simplistic, how could I possibly ignore an album with such beautiful cover artwork? At it’s most important, how could I ignore a new album by one of the most intriguing, innovative, and daring bands within heavy metal at the current time?

I won’t go into a long diatribe about how the Norwegian quintet started life as a black metal band and have slowly (and occasionally, not so slowly) morphed into something entirely different, pushing their boundaries ever further outwards into new realms with each and every release. You can read about that elsewhere. Suffice to say that you’re likely to fall into one of three camps where Enslaved are concerned. You may be a diehard fan, meaning that Enslaved can do no wrong. You may be a casual listener with a favourite ‘era’, thereby hoping for a return or continuation of a certain sound. Or you might not be a fan of this band at all, and wonder what all the fuss is about, regardless of whether their output is classed as extreme metal, experimental, or something in between.

Personally, I fall somewhere within the latter two camps. I’m certainly not a diehard fan, that’s for sure. I have enjoyed much of the band’s output over the years, but rather than hanker for a return to a different era, I simply hope that the music will provide genuine enjoyment, rather than just an appreciation for the final product. With ‘Utgard’, I’m torn.

I’m torn because I can genuinely hear an incredibly talented band deliver music that they are clearly passionate about, to an undeniably high standard. The music, undeniably progressive, spans genres and sounds pretty unique as well. However, there’s a ‘but’ coming. And that ‘but’ is that I don’t swoon over the music. I don’t fall in love with it. Or at least, I don’t fall in love with as much of it as I’d really want to. Admittedly, there are several exquisite moments on the record that I adore and shall reveal shortly. However, it’s not the perfect record, with some of it falling a little short of my expectations.

Opener ‘Fires In The Dark’ is a slow-burning number that begins wonderfully with chanted vocals, replaced by folk-infused acoustic guitars before the heaviness hits courtesy of a slightly jarring riff that accents the chanting really well. A hint of Bal Sagoth enters with an expressive lead guitar line atop a strange sound effect that’s replaced by a slow, churning riff that eventually picks up the pace. The flow of the song is great, with dual vocals from keyboardist Håkon Vinje and Grutle Kjellson mixing some plaintive, emotive clean singing with the more abrasive black metal rasp. And an injection of glorious melody helps to pull everything together and give me the hook to listen again.

I have also grown to love ‘Sequence’, thanks to some strong melodic work, led by excellent clean vocals that create a sense of the epic, almost effortlessly. Not even a foray into near discordant territory, where the music threatens to descend into an incoherent mess, can dull my enthusiasm, especially when we’re brought back on track by gorgeous synths, commanding bass work and more stunning clean vocals that create a dreamlike sequence as beguiling as it is beautiful.

However, possibly my favourite track is the up-tempo, groovy number entitled ‘Homebound’, complete with bursts of more extreme fare to break things up. Again, the melodies are stunning and grow stronger with each passing listen. I feel like I’m repeating myself but once again, the clean vocals are utterly captivating, full of passion and power. The lead guitar work is poignant, soaring over the almost angelic melodies effortlessly.

Interestingly, when Enslaved deliver something more consistently heavy, such as the abrasive ‘Jettegryta’, I’m less fond of the outcome. For me, the song lacks a ‘wow’ factor, even when they briefly break from ploughing a heavier furrow to inject a little off-kilter 70s prog-inspired experimentation.

I also have trouble warming to ‘Utgardr’ and the follow-up ‘Urjotun’. The former is a sub-two-minute spoken-word piece with strange electronic sounds beneath, whilst the latter creates an electronic-heavy soundscape that is interesting for its daring intent and introduction of new ideas to the Enslaved armoury. But as a piece of music, I am not particularly keen on it.

‘Flight Of Thought and Memory’ brings things back to a more enjoyable and, for my tastes, palatable experience. There’s a demonstrable black metal feel to the fast-picked opening riffs, but the track soon opens up to reveal an elegant melody, supported and enhanced by more smooth clean vocals. Again, the ebb and flow is masterful, with the song never once feeling contrived or clunky despite the competing sounds within it. I’m also a fan of the final composition, ‘Distant Seasons’ which somehow calls to mind the work of Devin Townsend, particularly in terms of the layers of vocals, chunky riffing, and bold melodies.

Ultimately, despite a few moments on the album that don’t work as well as I wanted them to, or hoped, you have to admire the Norwegian stalwarts for once again trying new things and attempting to push their sound further than it has ever been before. Some people will love it, others will possibly hate it. In keeping with my thoughts on Enslaved’s entire career, it seems fitting that I sit somewhere in between the two. There are things on ‘Utgard’ that I love, whilst other ideas fail to sufficiently stir my enthusiasm. Overall, however, I believe that ‘Utgard’ is a success, and a worthy addition to an remarkable discography.

The Score of Much Metal: 82%